Eighteen Minutes
by lacelilies
Summary: Texas Revolution One-Shot: The Battle of San Jacinto. The deciding battle of the Texas Revolution from Texas' point of view. OC Texas


The stage was set for the last battle of Texas' Revolution. Mexican forces were resting only one thousand yards away from where the Texians were positioned, believing that they were cornered. Texas' brow dripped with sweat, not from the weather, nor the fatigue she was experiencing from the most recent march, but from fear. The morning of April 21, 1836 would be monumental for Texas. It had only been less than a month since the now infamous Goliad Massacre, and now she found herself in the middle of General Houston's council of war.

It wasn't a large group of men, just the top officials under General Houston's command. They were gathered around a table, most of them focusing their attention on Texas. It made no sense for such a young boy to be involved in such an important meeting, but, there he was, sitting next to General Houston, looking rather nervous. She could hear some of them muttering their discontent; others questioned the General's actions. Was he really allowing this boy to help make such an important decision?

Texas drummed her fingers on the table, and looked over to the General. He smiled at her, and assured her that he had an idea of how to 'handle' the Mexican forces. Texas breathed a sigh of relief. If there was one thing that she knew, it was that she could trust Mr. Houston. "Maybe as much as I trust Mr. Austin," she thought.

"We should wait for the Mexicans to attack," said one of the officers, "We'll shoot while they make their assault."

The majority of the officers agreed, but General Houston had a different plan. He turned to Clara and smiled. "Miss Lafitte," he said, "I think we can take the Mexican Army by surprise. We'll be sure to win; I'd be willing to bet on it."

A few eyes widened. "Lafitte? That girl that Austin kept in the government?" some whispered, "A girl in the Texian Army, that's absurd."

Clara smiled back at the General. "Sir, may I remind you that you weren't supposed to divulge who I am to about half of these men?" she said. "And as for your plan," she continued, smirking, "I won't wager, but I'm counting on you to live up to your words."

After that, it was almost assured that General Houston's plan would go through. Once the Texas Secretary of War, a Mr. Thomas Rusk, arrived on behalf of the President, the decision was finalized.

That afternoon, Texian forces were lined up, ready for battle.

Start

Texian forces set Vince's Bridge ablaze. Texas is a bundle of nerves. If this doesn't work, there's no real way for the Texian Army to retreat. "If it does, though," she thinks, "Deaf Smith and the other men will be heroes."

1 minute

Texas takes a deep breath and starts her move toward the enemy, gun in hand, along with the rest of her men. Everything moves slowly before her eyes, and in that moment, she knows that the Mexicans don't stand a chance.

2 minutes

"We may be outnumbered," she thinks, "But the bastards won't know what hit 'em." The Texian Army continues to march quietly. Texas thinks about all the help that America sent over. Many of his men died in the Alamo or the Massacre. "This has to be it," she says under her breath, "We'll capture Santa Anna and everything will be done and over with."

3 minutes

She can hear the panic coming from the Mexican Army. They must have realized that the bridge to their escape is burning. She smiles, choosing to ignore the inevitable loss of life for countless soldiers on either side.

4 minutes

The Texian and Mexican cavalry are now engaged in battle. Texas can only hope that everything will turn out fine. Her heart races and the men near her can see how nervous she is. "You'll be fine, kid," a man reassures her, "And one day, you'll be able to tell your kids that their father was a hero of the Texas Revolution." Texas calms down and smiles at the man. "You'd better make it out alive, too," she replies.

5 minutes

Her men are drawing nearer to the Mexican forces. Texas hears cries of "Remember the Alamo."Unconscious tears stream down her face as her men open fire.

6 minutes

Bullets fly back and forth. Texas feels the sting from the bullets that strike down her men. It isn't as sharp a pain as it was during the Massacre. A young man, no more than thirty years old, is struck down in front of her.

7 minutes

Texas tries to help him, but the wound is fatal. "Five dead," she says to herself, "I told you that you had to stay alive, damn it!" She closes his eyes, whispers her apology and gets up, ready to shoot down as many Mexican soldiers as she can.

8 minutes

Texas overhears that Santa Anna has escaped. "He'll pay," she says under her breath, "If anyone is to blame for the losses that I have suffered, it's him."

9 minutes

"Nine dead," she says, closing her eyes. She takes another deep breath and reopens them. Texas studies the battlefield for a moment. Eyes aflame with hatred, Texas rushes to attack. She screams at the top of her lungs, "Remember Goliad!" It becomes the new battle cry of the Texians.

10 minutes

Texas opens fire, hell bent on ridding the world of Mexican soldiers.

11 minutes

Her mind draws a blank, the movement is mechanical now.

12 minutes

Shoot. Kill. Repeat.

13 minutes

Shoot. Kill. Steal Ammunition. Repeat. How many dead Mexicans? Too many, but she won't stop now.

14 minutes

Texas is down to her last bullet. She corners a Mexican soldier. He must have lost his weapon. She smiles at him, and points her gun at his face.

15 minutes

The man begs for his life. He has a wife, he says, and children. He didn't want to fight in the army.

"But you've killed my Texians, haven't you?".

16 minutes

Texas can't understand why she hasn't killed him yet. Her heart is pounding wildly, adrenaline surging throughout her body. "Have mercy. Take me prisoner, just don't shoot me," he says.

Silence from Texas, as if she's doubting what she was planning to do. The man has a family?

So did Colonel Fannin.

So did all of her soldiers.

What makes this man think he's so damned special?

17 minutes

Texas makes her decision.

She is ready to fire, and stares into the man's helpless face.

"Just like you Meskins take prisoners?"

Texas smirks and fires her gun. She wipes the blood from her face and turns around, victorious.

18 minutes

The battle is officially over, but that won't stop her Texians from killing as many Mexicans as they can. She laughs, but soon begins to cry.

They may be the enemy, but they're her mother's people. A part of Texas still feels like the Mexican soldiers are her people, too.

She takes off her glasses to clean the lenses.

A Mexican soldier finds her and shoots her, point-blank, in the chest.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Yeah, that's where I decided to end it-

I'm currently not planning on continuing my Texas fic, so if you happen to be one of the three and six-eighths people that reads my stuff, you've been informed.

She's not dead...or is she?

21 April 1836- The Battle of San Jacinto is fought. The battle lasts about eighteen minutes, but Texian forces continued to fight Mexican forces (read: kill mercilessly) for around two hours after a Texian victory was decided.

"Texian" and "Meskin" are terms that I looked up- "Take prisoners like the Meskins" or something similar was a battle cry during San Jacinto and Texian was the word used for what we now call Texans (please don't tell me that I can't spell 'Mexican' or 'Texan' correctly- I happen to be paranoid about spelling and grammar)

Please review, even if you only do so to tell me that I'm horrible to poor Clara and that I deserve to be shot point-blank as punishment.


End file.
